There’s no better salad than a Greek salad. But, add a hearty grain like farro to a Greek salad and it gets even better. This simple grain salad is not only beyond easy to make and super delicious, it’s also perfect to make ahead for the week, too.
This salad is inspired by a recent meal I had delivered from Parm. It was SO good. My initial though was that I needed to order it again ASAP. My second thought, though, was that it was a ridiculously easy meal that I for sure needed to recreate at home.
And it really is so easy. All you really need to do to make this meal is cook some farro – which takes about 10 minutes, chop some veggies, throw everything into a bowl, and you’re done.
I love this meal on its own – it packs in a ton of veggies, fiber from the farro and protein from the farro and feta. But, if you want to add an additional protein source, that’s a great option too. Some seared salmon or grilled chicken would be delicious on top.
Oh, and if you’re feeling it, you can also add avocado on top. A little avocado on top never fails.
Try this Greek Farro salad as lunch or dinner. I highly recommend prepping it ahead of time too. You can store the salad without dressing in the fridge for a few days, or, for up to a day with dressing, which really lets the ingredients marinate well in the dressing. No matter how you choose to make it – it’s super delicious and filling.
Notes
- Farro: Farro is a super underrated grain, IMO. It’s really easy to cook (read: fast!) and has a nice bite. If you can’t find or don’t like farro, sub it with another grain, like quinoa.
- Vegetables: Tomatoes and cucumbers are classics in a Greek salad, but there are so many other veggies that you can add, too. Other delicious add ons include chopped bell peppers, red onion or sun-dried tomatoes.
- Feta cheese: I used a full fat block of feta in this recipe and highly recommend using the same. Pre-crumbled feta loses a bit of its moisture. And low fat feta just isn’t as satisfying!
- Arugula: Arugula works well in this recipe because of its peppery taste and tough plant matrix – it doesn’t wilt easily. If you don’t love arugula though, swap it with kale – just make sure to chop the kale and remove the stems first.
- Dressing: I used a simple oil + vinegar dressing, but any store-bought vinaigrette works. If you can find one with Greek flavors, that’s perfect.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. If you add dressing ahead of time, the salad will stay for about 1 day. Without dressing, it’s good for about 3-4 days. So, if you plan to make for a few days in advance, leave the dressing off before storing.
Ingredients
- 1 cup farro
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- 3 mini cucumbers
- 1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives
- 1/2 cup feta cheese crumbled
- 2 cups arugula
- 1/4 cup any vinaigrette dressing
Instructions
- Add farro and 2 2/3 cup water to a saucepan over high heat and bring to boil. Once boiling, turn heat down to low and let simmer for 10 minutes.
- While farro is simmering, roughly chop tomatoes and cucumbers.
- Remove farro from heat and let sit for about 5 minutes, until soft. Drain water and let cool.
- Add farro, tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, feta and arugula to a large bowl and toss to combine. Toss with dressing and serve immediately, or leave undressed and store in an airtight container in the fridge.
